By Oby Ogbonnia
The general underdevelopment being witnessed among oil producing communities in Imo State has been attributed to the communities’ order of choice of preference since the establishment of the Petroleum Industrial Act(PIA). The Commissioner for Niger Delta Affairs and Intelligence Dr Henry Okafor revealed this while interfacing with members of the Niger Delta Journalists Association in his office in Owerri recently. Fielding questions from the journalists over the state of affairs in the oil – rich communities of Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru East Local Government Areas Dr Okafor revealed that since the enactment of the PIA, host communities get three per cent out of the 131/2% oil derivatives accruing to the state. He explained that with their own allotment communities were expected to choose which project they would like to execute in their order of preference amongst social amenities that they lacked in their areas, noting that it was no longer the responsibility of the government or the oil producing companies. Prince Okafor who admitted also that not much had been done for the communities pointed out that there is a memo randum of understanding(MOU) between the government, the communities and the oil companies that must be duly followed. He refuted the impression of the public over its comparison of the pace of development in other oil-rich states like Akwa Ibom,Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Edo and Ondo whose derivatives run into billions of naira as against that of Imo which still runs into millions of naira, noting that while he was at the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC) as the managing director, the state got not more than ₦450 million,between 2011 and 2019,but quickly added that the figure has soared to over ₦850 million with the leadership of Governor Hope Uzodinma whom he said knows the nitty gritty of the oil business as he expressed hope that with the entrance of more new oil companies into the scene, there is room for more improvement. He maintained that whatever benefits communities get from the companies depended largely on the volume of crude got from them with the advancement in modern technology. Reacting to a recent publication done against him in which some leaders of Assah community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area alleged that he was bringing a breach of the peace in the community, the commissioner said he had no hands in the activities he was accused of, rather it was his staff who were on an official duty in the area at the time under reference that were molested by a group of persons from the community. He however revealed that that he had reported the matter to the Secretary to the Imo State Government and the police for further investigation and appropriate action.
